Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
509. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken an analysis of the number of animals that may not receive appropriate veterinary care due to a lack of financial means by their owners; if he would consider a fund to assist animal owners with limited means with veterinary bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31029/15]
View answerOwnership of animals imposes on the owner a legal responsibility to protect the health and welfare of the animals. It is important that people acquiring animals ensure that they have the capacity to take appropriate care of them. However, I am aware that, occasionally, persons owning animals do not have the means to ensure their health and welfare. Accordingly, since 1995 my Department has provided funding to animal welfare bodies to assist with their work in caring for animals. These organisations provide much needed assistance to animals (and by extension the owners of animals) in their local communities including providing appropriate and necessary veterinary care to animals at subsidised rates. Funding amounting to €1.867m was allocated in December 2015 to 142 animal welfare charities. Applications for 2015 are currently being processed by my officials and a decision on funding levels will be made in December.
I should also mention that, in the context of the recently introduced dog microchipping legislation which makes it compulsory as of 1 September 2015 to microchip all dogs born after 1 June 2015 and which will apply to all dogs post-31 March 2016, I have made funding available to animal welfare charities to subsidise the cost of microchipping for any dog owner who finds it difficult to afford the full cost of complying with the legislation i.e. social welfare recipients, those on State pensions, etc. Details of how to make an application for funding is available on my Department's website at:http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/animalhealthwelfare/dogmicrochipping/Microchippingfunding040915.pdf.
